1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to seal sections and/or equalizers used in electric submersible pump assemblies used for hydrocarbon production recovery. In particular aspects, the invention relates to systems and methods for measuring or estimating the volume of motor oil contained within a seal section or equalizer.
2. Description of the Related Art
A typical electrical submersible pump (ESP) system includes a pump that is driven by a motor. Because the ESP system may be disposed at great depths and are inaccessible at this time, the motors are designed to operate for a long period of time without maintenance. Motor oil is used to help lubricate the motor and to dissipate the heat the motor generates during operation. The volumetric expansion and contraction of the di-electric motor oil is compensated for by dynamic members in the seal section such as elastomeric bags or metal bellows. Metal bellows are accordion-like structures that expand and contract axially.